Frank r



(No Model.) P. R. RIDBLL. POST OFFICE LOCK BOX.

No. 491.495. Patented Feb. 7, 1893.

tf@ f' PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK R. RIDELL, OF STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE YALE dtTOVVNE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

POST=OFFICE LOCK-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 491,495, dated February7, 1893.

Application filed November 29, 1892. Serial No. 458,523. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK R. RIDELL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Stamford, in the county of Fairfield and State ofConnecticut, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Post-OfficeLock-Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a lock box which will bereasonably secure, but simplify the manufacture of the nest of boxeshaving individual lock-doors whereby the construction of the parts andthe assembling thereof are both facilitated and the cost therebylessened. In my improved construction the lock box door is attached bymeans of a hinge equal in height to the lock box door, one leaf of whichhinge consists of a dat plate which is letinto a groove in the uprightpartit-ion of the box and riveted or otherwise fastened thereto. Theadvantage of this construction is that the upright partitions can beprepared for the leaf of the hinge which goes into them by a simplegroove made by a saw or any other cheap machine method, and holes forthe rivets or other fastenings can then be also bored by machinery, sothat the operation is very simple, rapid and cheap.

In order that my invention may be fully understood,l will describe thesame by reference to the accompanying drawings in which:-

Figure I is a perspective view of a portion of a nest of lock boxes towhich my invention is applied. Fig. Il is a transverse section through abox and its door showing the parts assembled.

lv represents the nest of boxes which are divided into compartments bymeans of the longitudinal pieces 2 and the uprights 3. Each compartmenthas an individual door 4., which is attached to one upright by means ofa hinge 5, and is held closed by any suitable form of lock whose boltengages the other upright. The hinge 5 is preferably equal in length tothe side of the door and it is provided with leaf 6 for attachment tothe upright, and it may have a leaf 7 for attachment to the door bymeans of rivets 8 (one only being shown), or one part of the hinge maybe made integral with said door.

The hinge is attached to the upright in the following manner: The leafis made of proper shape and size and in the upright is formed a groove 9throughout its length or nearly so to receive the leaf 6, which isinserted after which the holes 10 are bored through the upright and leaffor the reception of rivets l1, which pass through both upright andhinge leaf. The groove may be a simple saw cut and the hinge leaf mayfit tightly therein so as to give a steady mounting to the door, thefunction of the rivets being principally to prevent Withdrawal of theleaf and to hold the sides of the groove together, prevent splitting andbind the leaf and insure a firmer mounting of the door.

As shown in the drawings, the leaf of the hinge which is connected withthe door is made separate therefrom and afterward connected, but it isobvious that if it should be desirable this leaf of the hinge can bemade integral with the door. Any form of lock can be used, and any formof bolt, either spring or dead bolt, the essential feature of myinvention being the construction of the hinge, it-s attachment t-o thebox, and the method of constructing the box to receive this peculiarform of hinge. In constructing the boxes the upright partitions are madeseparate, then grooved out by a saw or other approved means, then putinto the grooves cut in the horizontal partitions to receive them. Thisprecise method of construction is not absolutely essential, but is thepreferred method.

Inasmuch as the partitions are grooved to their ends, it is obvious thatthe grooved uprights could be made from along strip, grooved throughoutits length and then sawed up into pieces of the proper length.Heretofore the boxes have been made with continuous metallic frames, toform a continuous metallic frontage, and such a construction is verydesirable where great security is requisite, but it is evident that thesame degree of security is not requisite in smaller rural communities asis desirable in large towns and cities, and at the same time suchcommunities are not able to pay the necessary cost of the more expensiveconstruction.l My present construction is designed to supply the want ofsuch localities.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is:-n

l. The combination of a door for a box or pigeonhole, provided with ahinge, one leaf IOO of which is attached to said door, and the l grooveand the leaf for attaching the hinge frame, having one upright formedwith a to the pigeonhole, substantially as described.

groove into which the other leaf of said hinge A nest or series ofpigeonholes provided is inserted and means for securing the leaf withupright-partitions which are firstgrooved I5 5 in said groove,substantially as and for the to receive the leaf of the hinge and thenset purpose set forth. in place in the nest, substantially as described.

2. A pigeonhole7 provided with a groove in one of its sides7 incombination with a door FRANK R. RIDELL. provided With a hinge, havingone leaf formed Witnesses 1o to enter said groove, and rivets orequivalent E. J. BIKER,

fastenings, passing through the sides of the SUSAN WV. RIDELL.

